Dev Bhoomi (Land of the Gods), a feature film by the renowned Serbian director Goran Paskaljevic with actor Victor Banerjee in the lead, clinched the Best Film prize in the International Panorama competition at the Bari film festival (BIFEST) in Italy.
The HindiGarhwaliEnglish film was shot entirely in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand. “The award is a huge leap for the people of Garhwal and the villagers of Guptakashi. This film puts them
on the cultural map of the world,“ the 70-year-old actor told TOIon phone. Banerjee is noted for his roles in David Lean's A Passage to India and Satyajit Ray's Ghare Baire.

The award's citation, put out on the festival's website, praised the director for creating “a high quality cinematic tale.“ The festival was held from April 23-29. The jury composed of 30 filmgoers se
lected in a nationwide contest in Italy . Reviewing the film, Hollywood Reporter wrote, “Paskaljevic brings his signature sensitivity to the story , telling it simply and affectingly through the eyes of a refined ex-pat played by Victor Banerjee (Passage to India), who again shows he is one of India's most riveting actors.“

The Belgrade-born film
maker is regarded as one of Europe's “most respected directors.“ The Powder Keg, also known as Cabaret Balkan (1998), is Paskaljevic's most-feted film and clinched a clutch of awards including In
ternational Critics Prize, FIPRESCI, at the Venice Film Festival. Dev Bhoomi is set in a Himalayan village and deals with social issues such as gender inequalities and caste prejudices. The cast includes Geetanjali Thapa, Uttara Baokar and VK Sharma “This festival is under the patronage of the President of Italy,“ Paskaljevic wrote in an email to Banerjee.